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The
Wheel of the Year consists of eight Sabbats. All the Sabbats are solar in nature, marking the passing of the year with natural
milestones.
Some
break the Sabbats down into major and minor,
the major
Sabbats being:
Samhain
(Halloween)
Imbolc
Beltane
(May Day)
Lughnasadh
The minor
Sabbats are:
Yule
(Winter Solstice)
Ostara
(Spring Equinox)
Litha
(Summer Solstice)
Mabon
(Autumnal Equinox).
It
is through these Sabbats that witches throughout the world mark the passing of the year with celebration and reverence for
the deities and events that each represents.
These
holidays are as used by witches in the Northern Hemisphere.
The
witches in the Southern Hemisphere reverse the Sabbats due to the opposite seasons.
Celebrating
and Observing the Sabbats
How we choose to celebrate or observe the Sabbats is up to individual choice.
Some like to
decorate their homes, perform ritual and prepare foods to mark the occasion. Some prefer to keep it simple and light a candle
or burn some incense.
However you
feel like marking the day is appropriate to you as an individual and it is your choice, there is no right or wrong.
A detailed article
on each of the Sabbats will be coming soon as and when I get time to finish writing them :0)
I have compiled
a table of information here that may assist you in preparing for the Sabbats…
|
Sabbat |
Herbs |
Incense |
Colour |
Decorations |
Foods |
|
Yule |
Holly, Mistletoe, Rosemary, Oak, Pine cones |
Bayberry, Pine, Cedar, Rosemary, Juniper |
Red, Green, White, Silver, Gold |
Yule log (oak or pine), Mistletoe, Wreaths, Strings of dried flowers
and cinnamon sticks, Apples, Oranges, Yule tree |
Nuts, Apples, Oranges, Caraway rolls, Mulled wine, Roast turkey |
|
Imbolc |
Snowdrop, Bay, Heather, First Flowers of the Year |
Rosemary, Cinnamon, Wisteria, Frankincense, Myrrh |
White, Orange, Red |
Lamps, Besom (witch's broom), Yellow flowers |
All Dairy products, Curries, Onions, Chives, Garlic, Spiced wines, Seeds,
Herbal teas |
|
Ostara |
Honeysuckle,Iris, Peony, Violet All spring flowers |
Jasmine, Rose, Strawberry |
Green, Yellow |
Colored eggs, Green and yellow jellybeans, Rabbit Decorations, Spring
Flowers |
Seeds, Leafy Green Vegetables, Spiced or Flower Cupcakes, Fruits, Hard-boiled
eggs |
|
Beltane |
Honeysuckle, St.
John's wort, Hawthorn,All flowers |
Frankincense, Lilac, Rose |
Green, Soft pink, blue and yellow |
Maypole, Strings of beads or flowers, Ribbons, Spring flowers |
Dairy, Oatmeal cakes, Cherries, Strawberries, Wine punches, Green Salads |
|
Litha |
Lavender, CamomileRoses, Daisy, Lily |
Frankincense, Lemon, Rose, Wisteria, Lavender |
Blue, Green, Yellow |
Dried herbs, Potpourri, Seashells, Summer Flowers, Fruits |
Summer Fruits, Ale, Mead, Fresh Vegetables |
|
Lughnasadh |
All grains, Grapes, Heather, BlackberrySunflower |
Sandalwood Rose, Aloes |
Yellow, Orange
Green, Brown |
Corn Dollies, Any Wheat weaving crafts, Shafts of Grain |
Breads, Cider, Blackberry Pies and jellies, Rice, Meadowsweet tea, Berries |
|
Mabon |
Hazel, Corn, Acorns, Oak, Wheat Stalks, Cypress cones, Pine cones |
Myrrh, Sage, Pine |
OrangeDark red, Yellow, Brown |
Acorns, Pomegranates, Pine Cones, Baskets of fallen leaves |
Breads, Corn, Cornbread, Beans, Squash, Apples, Roots (carrots, potatoes,
onions), Cider |
|
Samhain |
Pumpkin, Apple, Nuts, Thistle, Chrysanthemum, Broom, Oak leaves, Sage |
Apple, Nutmeg, Sage, Mint |
Black, Orange |
Jack-o-lantern, Photos of deceased loved ones, Apples, Fall leaves,
Autumn flowers, Squashes |
Apples, Corn, Nuts, Cider, Mulled wine, Pumpkin Dishes, Cranberry muffins,
Herbal teas |
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